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Fair access
One of the Schools Commissioner’s main duties is to ensure better access for disadvantaged groups to good schools in every area.
He hopes to achieve this using three main initiatives.
1. Admissions Code
The new School Admissions Code, which came into force in February 2007 and affects pupils applying for a school from September 2008, is now enforced by law.
The Code applies to all maintained schools (including grammar schools, trust schools, boarding schools, school sixth forms and academies), and prohibits a range of unfair and subjective admission criteria and practices.
A full copy of the Schools Admissions Code and related information is available.
2. Choice Advisors
Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, local authorities are required to assist parents who are unsure how the school application process works.
Currently, six per cent of parents do not make a choice about which secondary school they would like to apply to. Some parents are not able to make the best of the choices available because they don't understand or can't navigate the system.
Choice Advisors will target these parents to help ensure fair access. They provide independent and impartial advice and guidance to help parents choose a school. The focus of their work is on the transition from primary to secondary.
So far, Choice Advice is provided in 123 local authorities and we anticipate it will be provided in all local authorities by September 2008.
3. Transport
The Office of the Schools Commissioner will also promote the recent changes in transport policies in the Education and Inspection Act 2006. Previously, local authorities had to provide free transport to pupils’ nearest suitable school where it was over statutory walking distance (2 miles for pupils under 8 years old and over 3 miles for pupils aged 8 and over).
With the 2006 Act, local authorities are required to provide pupils who receive free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of maximum working tax credit free transport to and from the three nearest suitable schools between 2 and 6 miles from home. Extra funding has been allocated to make this possible.
A full copy of the related guidance is available.
4. Admissions Forums
Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, Admissions Forums have an important power to publish an annual report on the effectiveness of local admission arrangements in reducing social segregation and providing fair access.
These reports will be used by the Schools Commissioner in his national review of fair access. The first of these reports, which will look at how fair access is being achieved across the country, will be presented to parliament in April 2009.
